hungry

adjective

hun·​gry ˈhəŋ-grē How to pronounce hungry (audio)
hungrier; hungriest
1
a
: feeling an uneasy or painful sensation from lack of food : feeling hunger
b
: characterized by or characteristic of hunger or appetite
a wolf with hungry eyes
2
a
: eager, avid
hungry for affection
b
: strongly motivated (as by ambition)
hungry investors
a power-hungry politician
3
: not rich or fertile : barren
a hungry soil
hungrily adverb
hungriness noun

Examples of hungry in a Sentence

There are millions of hungry people throughout the world. That girl is always hungry. The prisoners' families were hungry for more information. They were hungry to learn more.
Recent Examples on the Web In happier times, the facade at La Golondrina Cafe was flanked by hungry patrons serenaded by mariachis. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2023 For hungry families who may be undocumented, the pantry requires no sign-in or identification. Kyle Swenson, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023 Nothing else satisfies a hungry crowd like this hearty and warming comfort food. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023 To manage the lines, many of the food truck operators employed online ordering by scanning a QR code, enabling hungry customers to scan the code, put in their order and wait for a text message instructing them to pick up their order. Dale Ellis, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2023 Some parents and caregivers balk at the idea of serving their hungry babies a bottle of cold formula. Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 18 Sep. 2023 When hungry guests arrive for a holiday feast or family reunion, greet them with quick and easy appetizers that won't ruin their appetite for the main event. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2023 That made sense: With the world glued to their screens and hungry for entertainment, celebrities needed more content — ideally with smaller crews that would limit person-to-person contact. Jeff Gage, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023 Some attendees brought up their need for more highly skilled workers, while Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates focused on feeding the globe’s hungry. WIRED, 14 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hungry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hungrig; akin to Old English hungor

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hungry was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hungry

Cite this Entry

“Hungry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hungry. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

hungry

adjective
hun·​gry ˈhəŋ-grē How to pronounce hungry (audio)
hungrier; hungriest
1
: feeling or showing hunger
2
: eager, avid
hungry for all the details
hungrily adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on hungry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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